Table



Sept. 27, 1938. r c, MILLER 2,131,594

TABLE Filed Jan. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fivenz or;

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE' TABLE Charles J. Miller, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 6, 1936, Serial No. 57,691

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tables and particularly to card tables having legs which fold against the table top.

The primary object of the invention is to avoid 5 the necessity for manually manipulating any parts to secure the legs in open or table supporting position by automatically locking the legs when they are swung to this position, whereby the table may be set up for use quickly and with very little effort and without liability of injuring the hands.

Another object is to brace the table legs rigidly in open position to form a strong and substantial support for the table.

A further object is to brace the central portion of the table top on the legs and thus distribute the weight between the legs and support the table top firmly against sagging in use.

And other objects are to enable the legs to be swung to open position in a single operation; to

lock the legs securely in open position; to enable one air of legs to be easily released manually from locked position and to automatically release the other pair of legs; to cause the locking means for one pair of legs to automatically release the locking means for the other pair of legs; to utilize the locking means for bracing the legs and the central portion of the table; and to reduce the number of movements required to fold the legs and thus facilitate the folding operation.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a table embodying the invention and showing apart broken away and the legs in folded position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of a part of the table showing the legs in open or table supporting position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a part of the table showing the locking means for one pair of legs in position for automatically releasing the locking means for the other pair of legs during the folding operation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 4a. is a detail sectional view showing the grip portion of one of the pivot bars in closed and open positions;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the locking means.

The table top 6 is provided with the usual frame consisting of rails'I, 8, 9 and I0 extending about the sides of the top. Cross braces II and I2 extend between the rails I and 9 and parallel to the rails 8 and Ill and inwardly thereof. A pivot bar I3 has a handle or grip portion I4 'at its end portions of the bar I3 and the bar is then inserted in openings I8, Fig. l, in the railsB and I0. The rails 8 and I0 are countersunk in their outer sides at the openings I8 and washers I9' are inserted therein over the ends of the bar 10 I3 after which the bar I3 is peened over to secure the pivot bar in place in the frame. The cross braces II and I2 are slotted at their end portions to receive the pivot bar I3 and screws 20 are driven adjacent the slots so that'their heads will overhang the slots and thereby secure the pivot bar therein. Fixed braces 2|,and 22. are spotwelded to the pivot bar inwardly of the' legs, and the braces engage the legs and are secured thereto by rivets 23 and 24. 20

A pivot bar 25 has a handle or grip portion 26 at its midportion and legs 21 and 28 are installed on the pivot bar 25 in the same manner as the legs I5 are installed on the pivot bar I3. Spacing Washers 29 are mounted on the pivot bar and 25 the bar is thensecured in the frame in the same manner as the bar I3. The spacing washers 29 are of less thickness than the washers II so that the legs 21 and 28 will be slightly spaced from the rails 8 and I0 but the legs l5 and I6 will'be v30 spaced to a greater extent from the rails 8 and I0 and will be'located within the legs 21 and 28 when the legs are in folded position against the table top. Fixed braces 30 and3l are spotwelded to the pivot bar 25 at one'end and secured to the 35.

I5 and I6 by the rivets 23 and 24, respectively, 45

passing through openings in the ends of the brace portions. A pair of latches 31 are secured to the outer sides of the cross braces by screws 38, one latch on the cross brace I I and the other latch on the'cross brace I2. The latches each consist of a 50 cam portion 39'- and a stop portion 40 separated When the legs, I5 and I6 are swung into'open position the locking bar 34 slides along .the cross braces II and I2 and rides over the cams 39 and engages the stops 40 and enters the .55

thereof.

. offset or grip 41 locatedcentrally thereof. The

looking bar 42 is pivotally connected to the legs 27 and 28 by the rivets 32 and 33 extending through openings in the ends of the braces 43. The locking portions 44 are so arranged that they cross the cross braces and the releasing portions 45 are located alongside the cross braces. .A pair of latches 48 are similar to the latches 31 and each consists of a cam portion 49, a stop 50 and a slot 5|. The latches 48 are secured to the outer sides of the cross braces by screws '52, one latch on the cross bar II and the other latch on the cross bar l2 and opposite the latches 31. When the legs 21 and 28 are swung into open position the locking portions 44 of the locking bar 42 ride along the cross braces H and I2 and over the cams 49 and engage the stops 50 and enter the slots 5!.

One end of each of a pair of retaining springs 53 is secured to the cross braces by screws 38 and theother ends thereof are secured to the cross braces by screws 52. The retaining springs operate against the locking portions of the bars and retain them in engagement with the cross braces and after the locking portions have passed over the cams of the latches during the opening operation the springs insure the entrance of the looking portions into the slots 4| and 5|. When the legs are in open or table supporting position the brace portions of the locking bars extend from the rivets 23, 24, 32 and 33 located somewhat downwardly on the legs to the latches located inwardly of all of the rails forming the frame of the table. This structure supports the central portion of the table with great rigidity inasmuch as any force placed thereon will be transmitted through the braces to the legs.

To open the table one faces the table topand grasps the rails land 9 with his fingers extending over and gripping the grip portions l4 and 26. Tightening the grip on the grip portions will pull the grip portions around, turning the pivot bars to open the legs of the table. The grips of the pivot bars-are slightly inclined so that they will exert leverage on the legs and bars when the grip thereon is tightened and swing the legs easily from closed to open position, Fig. 4a. While the legs are opening the braces 35 and 43 are drawing the locking portions 38 and 44 of the locking bars across the cross braces against which they are held by the springs 53 until the locking portions ride over the cams of their. respective latches and become seated in the slots therein to lock the legs in open or table supporting position. To fold the legs the locking bar 42 is first released by grasping the grip 41 and raising the locking portions 44 of the bar out of the slots of the latches 48 and then the legs 21, 28 are folded into the position shown in Fig. 4. The locking bar 42 rides across the cross braces H and I2 until the releasing portions 45 engage the locking bar 34, Fig. 4, underneath the locking portion 36. Further movement of the legs 28 and 21 into folding position will cause the releasing portions 45 to raise the locking portion 36 of. the bar 34 out of the slots 4| to thereby release the locking means for the legs I5 and I6. It will be noted that only three manual'operations are required to fold the legs of this table. The first manual from the latches 48.

operation consists in releasing the locking bar 42 The second manual operation consists in folding'the legs 2''! and 28 into folded position thereby automatically releasing the locking bar 34 from the latches'31. The third manual operation consists in folding the legs 15 and I6 into folded position.

My invention provides a novel structure embodying the operation of the table legs in pairs and a novel locking mechanism for locking the legs in upright position. 1 The locking mechanism also provides a substantial support for the central portion of the table topto make that portion of the table top practically as strong as the portions I have shown and described my invention in a specific form but I wish it to be understood that changes and alterations may be made therein and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of suchchanges and alterations as fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A table having a frame, a pivot bar at one side of said frame andanother pivot bar at the opposite side thereof, a pair of legs mounted on each pivot bar and adapted to be folded within the frame, and separate locking means associated with each pair of legs and adapted to lock said pairs of legs independently in table supporting position, one of said .lockingmeans being manually releasable and adapted to positively engage and automatically release the other of said looking means by manipulation of one of the pairs of legs to permit folding of the pairs of legs within the frame.

2. A table having a frame, a pivot bar at one side of said frame and another pivot bar at the opposite side thereof, a pair of legs mounted on each pivot bar and adapted to be foldedwithin therframe, locking means adapted to lock each pairof legs independently in open or table supporting position, one of said locking means being manually releasable, and releasing portions on said one locking means for engaging and automatically releasing the other locking means through manipulation of one of the pairs of legs to permit folding of the pairs of legs within the frame. e

3. A table having a frame, a table top on said frame, a plurality of foldable legs pivotally mounted in said frame, a pair of locking bars for locking sa-id legs in open. or table supporting position, said locking bars being pivotally connected to said legs and releasably latched to said frame and comprising brace portions extending from said legs below the frameto the central portion of said frame, one of said locking bars being manually releasable, and releasing means on said one locking bar for automatically releasing the other locking bar by manipulation of one pair of the legs to permit folding of the legs within the frame.

4. A table having a frame, a table top on said latch means comprising a cam and a stop With an opening therebetween to receive the locking bar to lock said legs in open or table supporting posimatically releasing the other locking bar to permit folding of the legs within the frame, brace,

means connected to said pivot bars and said legs to brace said legs in one direction, and brace means forming a part of said locking bars to brace said legs in another direction and to brace the central portion of said table to form a substantial support therefor.

5. A table having a frame, a table top on said frame, legs pivotally mounted on the frame, means for locking said legs in open position, said locmng means comprising a locking bar for one pair of legs and a locking bar for the other pair of legs, each of said locking bars comprising an intermediate portion located adjacent the table top and end portions forming braces connected to the legs, latch devices on the frame each com-' prising an opening to receive a locking bar, and devices for guiding said locking bars into and retaining them in said openings, one of said locking bars being manually releasable and having portions thereon arranged to engage and release the other locking bar through manipulation of one pair of the legs.

6. A table having a frame, a table top'on said frame, legs pivotally mounted on the frame,

means for locking said legs in open position, said locking means comprising a locking bar for one pair of legs and a locking bar for the other pair of legs, each of said locking bars comprising an intermediate portion located adjacentthe table top and end portions forming braces connected to the legs, latch devices on the frame each comprising an opening to receive a locking bar, and devices for guiding said locking bars into and retaining them in said openings, one of said locking bars being manually releasable andhaving portions between the intermediate portion and the brace portions to engage. and release the other locking bar through manipulation of one pair of the legs.

7. A table having a frame, cross pieces on the frame, a table top on said frame, legs pivotally mounted on the frame, means for locking said legs in open position, said locking means comprising a locking bar for one pair of legs and a locking bar for the other pair of legs, each of said locking bars comprising an intermediate portion extending across the cross pieces and end portions forming braces connected to the legs, latch devices on the cross pieces each comprise ing an opening to receive a locking bar, and de-'- vices for guiding the locking bars into and retaining them in said openings, one of said locking bars being bent to provide releasing portions which engage the other locking bar to release it from the openings.

CHARLES 'J. MILLER. 

